The day after Hurricane Harvey tore through Rockport, Aransas County Judge C.H. "Burt" Mills, Jr. visited the Aransas County Courthouse to find the building flooded ankle-deep in water.

The historical building, built in 1956, sits onLive Oak Streetin Rockport. A plaque from the Texas Historical Commission is displayed outside it.

Months after the storm, "CLOSED Do Not Enter" is painted bright red across a white tarp that covers an entrance to the building that was once a hub for the county.

Mills said there was roof damage, and the building has been deemed totaled by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

"The damage in the courthouse is extensive," Mills said. "Every room except the district attorney's office section is ruined completely. Some offices have sky light now that they didn't have before."

Rebuilding the courthouse was an agenda item Friday at an Aransas County Commissioners' Court meeting. There, Mills asked the commissioners for permission to seek a Request for Qualifications for architectural services.

The commissioners unanimously approved the item.

Commissioner Brian Olsenwent inside the courthouse after Harvey. He had to be escorted inside and wear a hard hat due to the damage.

"I can tell tell you that in the district court itself, the roof caved in there, and then in the court-at-law courtroom as well, and that's where we hold our commissioners court," Olsen said. "So it was pretty devastated."

Having received approval from the Texas Historical Commission, the building will soon be demolished, maybe even within a month, Mills said.

The cost of the rebuild is unclear, but after the Friday meeting Olsen said he's hoping FEMA dollars and private donations will help with the cost.

Mills said there's been a need for a new courthouse for a while now — the county even purchased nearby land several years back to build it on — but the storm expedited the timeline for the project.

"We've needed a new courthouse for a long time because this one is a little outdated, and we're running out of room and wiring is old, so we were planning on a new courthouse," Mills said. "But we didn't quite want it this way. ... Now we have to have one. We could have gone another year or two without one, I suppose."

Mills does have some ideas for design elements of the building. For one, he'd like it to be raised off the ground.

"We're going to raise it up off the ground, hopefully quite a bit. ... It just depends on how much it costs." Mills said. "But I'd like to have the first floor at least 18 feet above sea level."

The courthouse should be "an anchor of the business downtown," Mills said, describing his ideal building as having a "modern ... yet coastal" look and an ability to expand in the future.

He said a date for a groundbreaking on the courthouse depends on several things, including the bidding process and workforce availability.

"But I'd like to say that we'd be in there at the end of two years," Mills said.

CommissionerJack Chaney said from a legal standpoint rebuilding the courthouse is important because the county seat, Rockport, is required to have one to hold district court.

"The second thing is, and probably the more important thing long term to me, is the citizens of Aransas County are used to a one-stop shop."

For now, different offices that were located in the courthouse are scattered across town. Commissioners' Court and District Court have been meeting at the Aquarium at Rockport Harbor Education Center,which is where the commissioners' meeting was hosted Friday.

The main room of the building is filled with folding chairs and fold away tables for a makeshift courtroom.

There are plans for a temporary courthouse at the old ACE Hardware store, Mills said.

"They're doing the inside of it now, getting it ready for us to move in, hopefully by the end of this month or the middle of next month," Mills said.